Why do you think the Angels have lost the first game of every postseason series then pillage the opposition the rest of the way. Because they’ve made adjustments, they’ve seen what the other team is trying to do and they make it work for them. That’s why they led the Giants in this World Series, 2-1, heading into Game 4 last night at chilly Pac Bell Park.

If you didn’t know better, you’d swear they’re stealing signs, because no hitters are locked in like these Angels hitters. Maybe they are, but that’s all part of the game. All this hard work is a result of Mike Scioscia and his staff doing a terrific job.

When Scioscia played, the Dodgers had the best foundation in baseball. The Dodgers’ way was the right way and it was taught the same way throughout the system. This team is like Scioscia’s ’88 Dodgers, who shocked the Mets and the A’s.

Ex-Padre Tony Gwynn played his entire career against those Dodgers and was a teammate with Scioscia at the end of the catcher’s career.

“All of the Angels’ success is a reflection of Scioscia,” Gwynn said. “The Angels have a strong belief in what they do and know the game is played between the white lines. Scioscia believes in everybody and gets contributions from all 25 players. The Angels bring a lot of focus, intensity and enthusiasm, and that’s a tribute to the manager.”

The Angels are relentless. It’s like that scene out of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” when Redford and Newman are being chased by the lawman with the white hat. He keeps asking: Who are those guys?

Who are these Angels? They can’t be as good as they look, can they?

I asked Darin Erstad why it seems the Angels make more diving catches than other teams.

You’ll remember the Erstad pop fly that turned lethal against the Yankees because Bernie Williams and Alfonso Soriano couldn’t get together.

In the 10-4 pounding of the Giants in Game 3, the San Francisco outfielders, especially Kenny Lofton, didn’t make the effort to get to balls, at least not the same kind of effort the Angels in the outfield give every night.

Erstad answered, “We just all want to out-do each other. When one guy makes a great catch, another guy wants to top it.”

That’s the spirit you want on a team.

It comes from Scioscia and his staff. It comes from working hard on and off the field, and that’s why the Angels keep getting better. Even when they lose the first game of the series, it’s no big deal.

As Scioscia likes to say, “We play hard every game and let you guys add it up at the end.”

Two more wins and the Angels add up to be world champions.

You know what else all this is adding up to? Big trouble for the Yankees. Scioscia’s Angels aren’t going away. With more time, more studying, more work, they are going to get be that much better next season.

This isn’t just a monster Scioscia’s created. This is a baseball team.

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.300 CLUB

The Anaheim Angels are attempting to become the 14th team to finish a World Series with a batting average of .300 or better.